Wishes come true...

I am beside myself and I've waited three days to share this with all of you. This bottle of Irish whiskey has been on my wishlist for some time now and a very dear friend from St. Louis got it for me. Most of you know of my indulgences in shoes, stockings, and lingerie, but my Whiskey Wednesdays are the one thing that I feel like we can share together. I learn something every week and I get excited to share it with you. It's completely impractical and that's part of what makes it so fun to me. I can't often justify my purchases, but c'est la vie!

In the whiskey world the pure pot still whiskey is uniquely Irish and that's what I love about it. There is nothing else that tastes like it. And within the pure pot still whiskeys, this one is my absolute favorite (always subject to change). It's a journey of discovery and I feel like the journey has just begun. I hope some of you get to try it. Please let me know what you think.

Here are the professional notes because I'm surely not an expert. ;-)

Master of Malts:

Redbreast is a rich, spicy single pot still Irish whiskey matured exclusively in first-fill Sherry and bourbon casks, and this fantastic 21 year old is no exception. A masterpiece of cask selection and blending, we absolutely love this older expression with its notes of tropical fruit, menthol and a touch of leather alongside all that mouth-filling goodness you find right across the range. Hats off to Billy Leighton and all those at Midleton!

Nose: Tropical pineapple (!) and crushed peanuts specifically, a bit like the combo you get on the outside of those soft cheese rings. Rich, rounded, spicy – prunes, quinces, a little deeply caramelised apple.

Palate: Mouth-filling and reassuring. A little menthol alongside the expected spiciness and some leather. On the tail there’s a touch of nectarine.

Finish: A little tangy fruit gives way to sweet and savoury barley notes.

Overall: Tremendous! Intricate and still full of life even though there’s a good proportion of whiskey older than 21 years old in there. Thoroughly enjoyable and one of the very best Irish whiskeys we've ever had the pleasure of tasting.